News
BANK OF AMERICA SPONSORS FIELD DAY FOR SALVATION ARMY SUMMER CAMPERS, SENIORS
Salvation Army corporate supporter Bank of America hosted 110 children and seniors at a Field Day packed with educational and fun activities at the Army’s Temple Corps Community Center in Chicago. Several dozen Bank of America volunteers led children grades 1 to 12 in financial literacy games designed to teach and reinforce personal finance skills such as saving, managing money, and investing. Presentations to seniors focused on how best to protect personal identifying information and the importance of monitoring their accounts regularly for unusual activity as a defense against those who might try to steal their identities. Participating in the day’s events were Bank of America President, Consumer and Small Business Banking Joe Price and Salvation Army Metropolitan Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Ralph Bukiewicz. After lunch, volunteers led children in various games including musical chairs, balloon tosses, can knockdowns, and more while the adults played board games. All of the day’s activities, including lunch, were courtesy of Bank of America. |
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From left, Bank of America's Joe Price, President, Consumer and Small Business Banking, with Salvation Army Metropolitan Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Ralph Bukiewicz. |
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THE SALVATION ARMY APPOINTS NEW DIVISIONAL COMMANDER
The Salvation Army has appointed Lt. Colonels Ralph and Susan Bukiewicz as Divisional Commander and Director of Women’s Ministries respectively for The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division. The Bukiewiczs previously served in the same capacity at The Salvation Army’s Western Michigan/Northern Indiana Division. They replace Lt. Colonels David and Sherry Grindle, who retired in June in accordance with The Army’s policy of mandatory retirement at age 65. Prior to their appointment as divisional leaders, the Bukiewiczs provided management and coordination of all major fund-raising, public relations, emergency disaster services, publications, and visual communications for The Salvation Army Central Territory, which includes 11 mid-western states. In addition to these responsibilities, they have been involved in direct response to and coordination of personnel following several major disasters including the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 2004 and 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes, and the 2005 tsunami in south Asia. Lt. Colonels Bukiewicz also supervised the selection and development of seven innovative “Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Centers” in the Central Territory made possible by a $1.6 billion gift from Joan Kroc in 2003. The Bukiewicz’s travel extensively and have ministered on five continents. |
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Listen to Dave Mitchell of Moody Radio Chicago interview with Lt. Colonel Ralph Bukiewicz.
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Lt. Colonels Grindle Retire
After 44 years of service, Lt. Colonels David and Sherry Grindle retired this June from their positions as Divisional Commander and Director of Women’s Ministries respectively, in accordance with The Army’s policy of mandatory retirement at age 65. During the past eight years, they served people in need in the Metropolitan Division, one of 15 appointments they had in nine states.
As Divisional Commander, Colonel Grindle directed the work of 29 corps in 10 counties in Northeast Illinois and Lake County Indiana. It was under his leadership that the division won approval for the construction of the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center on Chicago’s South Side.
Additionally, Colonel Grindle opened five new community centers that today provide social services to tens of thousands of individuals, helped to establish the Mobile Outreach Ministry that since 2009 has placed more than 900 homeless individuals and families in safe housing, and expanded the division’s after-school programming, including music instruction.
Replacing the Colonel on July 1 as head of the Metropolitan Division is Lt. Colonel Ralph Bukiewicz, formerly divisional commander of the Western Michigan and Northern Indiana Division.
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SALVATION ARMY TAKES PART IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE EXERCISE
The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division participated in a preparedness exercise with more than 50 local, state, federal, and private agencies that included a simulated plane crash, simulated rail car evacuation and simulated terrorist attack.
The Army’s Emergency Disaster Center in Elk Grove Village served as the command headquarters for the massive emergency response exercise held June 13-17 to test how effectively various government and private agencies would work together to respond to large scale disasters or terrorist attacks.
In addition to making its Elk Grove Village facility available as a command headquarters, the Army also provided thousands of meals, snacks, coffee and water to first responders and exercise “victims” over five days.
The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division has a long and proud history of responding to disasters both locally and far away, such as assisting Haitian earthquake victims in Port-au-Prince and Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans.
Calling All Campers
With violence and gunfire plaguing many Chicago neighborhoods, parents looking for a safe haven for their children need look no further than the local Salvation Army Corps Community Center’s Summer Day Camp. There, under the watchful eye of adult leaders, children ages 5-13 participate in a variety of educational and recreational activities such as studying music, playing team sports, taking arts and crafts classes, studying the Bible and more. To find out about Summer Day Camp activities at a Salvation Army Corps Community Center near you, visit our Locations webpage to find services by entering your local zip code or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
For a different type of camping experience – this one away from home – there’s The Salvation Army Wonderland Camp in Camp Lake, Wisconsin. Supervised activities awaiting campers at Wonderland Camp this summer include swimming, archery, field games, boating, tennis, basketball and much more. For information about all that Wonderland Camp has to offer – including a Summer Music Camp – and to download application forms, please visit www.wonderlandcamp.com.
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- Volunteers Package 500,000 Meals For Haiti
- Save the Date: 72nd Annual Donut Day June 4-5, 2010
- National Salvation Army Week Raises Awareness About Services for People in Need
- Continuing High Unemployment Driving More People to The Salvation Army For Groceries
- IFMA Charity Bowl-A-Thon Benefiting The Salvation Army
- Join Us in The Fight Against Hunger
